Toy cars line the tomb of a two-year-old, while religious statues adorn others.

Bid: The proposal by Councilman Tillman, pictured, applies to three public cemeteries in the parish

‘We want to stop this before it gets
out of hand,’ Tillman told the Associated Press. ‘Before you know it
you'll go out there and the cemetery will look like Mardi Gras.’

The
Development and Planning Committee unanimously agreed to send the
proposal to the full council, and a public hearing will be held on
January 11.

If successful, those painting tombs anything but white could be charged with a misdemeanour.

‘We don't want to see it get out of hand,’ Patrick Gordon, director of Development and Planning for the parish, said.

‘I mean, what if someone wanted to paint their tomb LSU colors? I don't think purple and gold would be appropriate there.’

The law would apply only to the three public cemeteries in Terrebonne Parish.

But Angie
Green, executive director of Save Our Cemeteries which is dedicated to
preserving Louisiana's unique cemeteries, said painting graves with different colours is a tradition that goes back for generations.

Plans: A full council will be held next month to discuss the proposal which would make colourful graves illegal

'Eye-sore': Councilman Tillman said he wants to bring in the ban to stop the cemetery looking like Mardi Gras

In a letter, Green pointed out that
‘historically, the limewash used on family tombs was colored in shades
of yellow, ochre, pink, gray and red.’

James Mathews from nearby Community Funeral Home said he is unaware of complaints about the coloured tombs.